Sliding hopper closure housing outlet assembly



G. B. DOREY June 23, 1964 SLIDING HOFPER CLOSURE HOUSING OUTLET ASSEMBLY Original Filed June 30, 1958 4 Sheecs--Sheei'l 1 June 23, 1964 G. B. DOREY 3,138,117

SLIDING HOPPER CLOSURE HOUSING OUTLET ASSEMBLY Uriginal Filed June 50, 1958 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

G. B. DOREY June 23, 1964 SLIDING HOFPER CLOSURE HOUSING OUTLET ASSEMBLY Original Filed June 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Geo/ge B 7o/gg June 23, 1964 SLIDING HOFPER CLOSURE HOUSING OUTLET ASSEMBLY Original Filed June SO, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VEN TOR. G60/1965. 170mg, BY

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Patented June 23., 1964 3,138,117 SLIDING HOPPER CLGSURE HOUSING OUTLET ASSEMBLY George B. Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assigner to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois @riginal application .lune 30, 1958, Ser. No. 745,619, now Patent No. 2,962,325, dated Nov. 29, 1960. Divided and this application Aug. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 836,262

1 Claim. (Cl. 10S-282) This invention relates, generally, to an improved discharge means for hopper cars. More particularly it relates to that type of hopper car wherein discharge of lading is effected either pneumatically or by gravity. This application is a division of application Serial No. 745,- y619, filed June 30, 1958, now Patent No. 2,962,325, issued November 29, 1960.

In cars of the identified character having selective unloading it has hitherto been necessary to restrict the area of discharge opening when applying means for adapting the car to pneumatic unloading. A feature of the present invention is the retention of full discharge area while adapting the car to eiiicient pneumatic unloading.

The objects of this invention, among others, are: To provide discharging means involving a sub-chamber for receiving lading by gravity and removing the same from the sub-chamber pneumatically; to provide a hopper car with a sub-chamber to which lading can flow by gravity for pneumatic unloading and having a floor panel with provision for removal thereof to adapt the car to gravity unloading; to provide a movable closure controlling the discharge of lading with conduit means therein for directing entraining air arranged to trap lading liowing over the controlling edge of the closure; and to provide conduit means arranged to direct entraining air in such a manner as to prevent clogging of the exit outlet of a pneumatic unloader.

The invention also resides in the details of construction associated with the improvement and in the means employed for carrying out the purposes of the invention.

The improvement is of particular importance in the handling of such commodities as flour which have a tendency to pack. Before discharge of such lading through an opening can be effected, it is desirable to disrupt the lading from its compacted state. This generally results in an onrush of lading with consequent clogging of the exit outlet.

To obviate the above disadvantages the improvement provides for a two stage operation by first introducing the lading into a sub-chamber by gravity and thereafter withdrawing the same pneumatically under conditions assuring free and uniform flow of lading as will be hereinafter described.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein the improved structure is shown as applied to a railway hopper car and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a car showing as much of the car as necessary to illustrate the application of the improved structure to the car.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational View of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 as viewed from right to left, parts of the center sill and one side wall being shown in section. v

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 as seen on a line 3 3 of FIGURE 1 with the side walls, sloping iloor and gate omitted and certain parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view cover in fully closed position, and the floor panel forming the bottom of the sub-chamber being omitted, said view being taken on a line corresponding to the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal Vertical sectional view of the hopper as taken on. a line 5 5 of FIGURE 2 with the gate in an advanced state of opening and showing the air admitting cover in partially open position.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the gate on a line 6 6 of FIGURE 3, the overlying angle member being omitted.

FIGURE 7 is a fractional sectional view taken through the gate enclosure and air inlet and showing a filtering medium in position.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the shaft latching mechanism taken on a line 8 8 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of FIGURE 8 with the pawl mechanism in fully latched and sealed position.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 9 except that the latching pawl is swung outwardly in releasing relation to the gate closing direction but in latcr ing position to hold the shaft against rotation in either direction and so prevent movement of the gate.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the' pawl and plunger assembly which forms a part of the latch mechanism.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, 8 indicates the rail on which the car is mounted, 9 the center sill and 10 one of the car side Walls overlying a car side sill 10. Positioned between the center sill 9 and car side wall 10 is a hopper 11 formed in part by outer and inner side walls 12 and 13 which meet with longitudinally sloping floors 14 and 15 to form a four-sided hopper.

The lower margins of the side walls 12 and 13 and iloors 14 and 15 are spaced apart to form a discharge area or opening 16 which is adapted to be closed by a sliding gate 17. The gate 17 is mounted on a frame 18 to slide on longitudinally extending members or ways 19 19 which slope upwardly from the discharge opening 16 and project therebeyond at an angle to support the gate 17 in an open position. The ways 19 19 are preferably formed of angle shaped members each with one ilange 19a extending upwardly and the adjacent flange 19h so extending laterally inwardly as to underlie the gate 17 and form a runway therefor. Extending transversely to the ways 19 19 are angle members 21 and 22 which respectively underlie the sloping floors 14 and 15 and complete the frame 18. The member 21 in like manner to the members 19 19 is of angle shape with one ilange 2lb in alignment with flanges 19h thereof to form a support for the gate 17 when in closed position. The adjacent flange 21a extends upwardly and is bent outwardly at 25 to conform to the inclination of the sloping oor 14. The transverse angle member 22 is inverted to form a hood shape covering for the trailing end of the gate 17 and includes one flange 22a which underlies the sloping oor 15. The adjacent flange 22b extends normally to sloping floor 15 to join with another element as will be described.

The discharge structure is continued below the gate 17 by a chute 28 which includes substantially vertically disposed walls 30, 31 and 32 on three sides and an inclined wall 34. The walls 30, 31 and 32 at their upper margins are welded to the undersides of flanges 19b of y members 19 and of ilange 2lb of transverse angle memshowing the gate in closed position, the air admitting ber 21. The upper margin of wall 34 is reinforced by a ledge 35. The inclined wall 34 is apertured at 36 and leading therefrom is an elongated cylindrical conduit 37 for withdrawal of lading pneumatically as will be hereinafter described. v

The lower margin of the chute 28 is reinforced on two sides by laterally extending flanges 3 and 39 and on the other' two sides is formed with grooves 4t) and 40a. The grooves 40 and 46a receive a floor panel 41 which is secured by bolts 41a in a position against the flanges 37 and 38. When the panel 41 is so applied there is provided a sub-chamber in the chute 28 for receiving lading from the hopper 11 upon opening movement of the gate 17. Y

The gate 1'7 is preferably moved by means of pinion gears 42 which engage with rack teeth 43 formed on the underside of the gate 17. The pinion gears 42 are non-rotatably mounted on a square shaft 44 which in turn is rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 45 and 46 which are secured by welding or otherwise to the anges 19a of the ways 19 as shown in FIGURE 6. To effect rotation of the shaft 44 there is provided on one end an operating head 47 having a series of openings 47a for receiving an operating bar.

The gate 17 in its open position extends beyond the hopper 11, as shown in FIGURE 5, and is contained in an enclosure 48 formed at the sides by the anges 19a of the ways 19, a bottom floor plate 48a extending between the flanges 191') of the ways 19, a top plate 45h extending between the upper margins of the anges 19a of the ways 19, and an end cover 49 hinged at 49a to the top plate 48]). The floor plate 48a is perforated at Sti-51B to accommodate the pinion gears 42 and maintain them in axial spaced alignment on the shaft 44. The end cover 49 is of pan shape with marginal anges 51 and 52. to embrace the end of the enclosure 48 and is swingable to full open position in order to allow insertion and removal of the gate 17. The enclosure 4S is formed by welding together the parts making up the same.

The end cover 49 is hingedly mounted at 49a in order to swing upwardly, as shown in FIGURE 5, for admitting entraining air when pneumatic unloading is employed. In this regard there is provided a retaining latch member 54 pivoted at 55 to the cover 49 and formed with a series of notches 56 which engage with bracket 57 for holding the cover 49 open in any of various positions. Surrounding the enclosure 4S at the entrance end, as shown in FIGURE 7, there is a beading S for holding a iilter cloth or screen S9 for filtering the entraining air prior to its admission in contact with the lading. An annular snap ring 60 holds the filter cloth or screen 59 in place.

Entraining air after entering through the filter cloth or screen 59 passes through conduits 61, 62, 63 and 64 extending longitudinally through the gate 17 and exits as at 65, common to conduits 61, 62, 63 and 64, to act on the lading forming the inclined surface which is indicated at 66 in FIGURE 5 adjacent the forward edge 17a of the gate 17 and at the location where lading flows from the main hopper 11 to the sub-hopper formed by the chute 28 and floor panel 41. The gate 17, as will be noted, is of generally hollow construction and at its leading edge is bevelled as indicated at 67. It will be understood that suction is applied to the conduit 37 and thereby the air entrained with the lading is removed from the hopper 11.

The upwardly inclined direction of opening movement of the gate 17 besides assisting in the ow of lading also provides for regulating the amount of lading in the subhopper since the gate 17 opens and provides for an increasing amount of lading in the sub-hopper without altering the relative position between the entering air and the heap of lading on the floor panel 41. The upward direction of movement of the gate 17 also provides for freedom of access to the exit conduit 37. .T he outer end of the exit conduit 37 is closed when not in use by a suitable capas shown at 70.

It will be observed that the gate 17, when the cover 49 is in place, is completely enclosed and, being concealed, from the operator it is desirablethat some means be provided for indicating complete closure of the gate 17. To this end a latching mechanism 71 is employed for the operating shaft 44 which precludes the possibility of applying a seal until the gate 17 is in completely closed position. The latching mechanism 71 is shown in outline in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 of the drawings and its details are illustrated more clearly in FIGURES 8, 9, 10 and ll.

rhe latching mechanism 71 includes a forked pawl '.73 mounted on the bearing bracket 45 to swing on a vertically disposed pivot 74 that extends through opening 74', FIGURE 1l. The pawl 73 has arms 73a and 73]? providing a slot 75 therebetween to straddle lugs 76 formed integrally with and projecting radially from the operating head 47. The pawl 73 is slotted at 77 to receive one leg 75a of an L-shaped bolt 78. Another leg 73b of the bolt 78 extends, as shown in FIGURE 9, through an aperture 79 in the bracket 45 and through the lange 19a of the way 19 with the end lying directly behind the gate 17 adjacent the end 80 thereof and in the path of its movement. The leg 78h of the bolt 78 moves in and out through the aperture 79 in the manner of a plunger simultaneously with swinging movement of the pawl 73 about its vertical pivot 74. The pawl 73 is movable outwardly to clear the lugs 76 and permit free rotation of the shaft 44 in either direction. The length of the leg 'b is such, however, that the pawl 73 can be swung back suthcient, as shown in FIGURE 10, to partially straddle a lug 76 and prevent rotation of the shaft 44 in either direction. Thus the gate 17 can be held in a number of different partly open positions as desired.

The pawl 73 is tted with a sealing pin 81 which has a vertical arm 31a that is axially movable in an opening 32. to extend through a sealing hole 83 formed in the bearing bracket 4S. Complete swinging movement of the pawl 7.3 to enable registration of arm 31a of sealing pm 31 with the hole 33 cannot be effected until the gate 17 is completely closed, as shown in FIGURE 9, due to the inward movement of the leg 78b being blocked, as shown in FIGURE 10, by the adjacent side of the gate 17. Outward swinging movement of the pawl 73 is limited by a lug 84 which engages with a stop 85 on the bearing bracket 45. The sealing pin 81 is in the form of an L-shaped bolt with a handle portion 86 projecting outwardly beyond the body of the pawl 73. The handle portion 36 is adapted to rest on a ledge 87 of the pawl 73, as shown in FIGURE l0, when in released position. The lower portion of the leg 81a of the sealing pin 81 1s apertured at 88, FIGURE 8, to register with an aperture 89 on the bearing bracket 45 for receiving a sealing band 99.

The improved structure is such that a loaded car can be unloaded either pneumatically or by gravity without any previous arrangement at the loading location. The use of the removable panel 41 in the oor of the subhopper to avoid contamination of lading is employed when unloading foodstuffs by gravity and consequently the use of the removable panel 41 is indicated for handlilrlig iiour and the like whether by gravity of pneumatica y.

The pneumatic operation may be best understood by following out the sequence of operations involved in unloading of a car. Assuming the parts to be as shown in FIGURE l with the oor panel 41 in place, the latching mechanism 71 is unlatched, the cap 70 is removed from conduit 37 and the latter is then connected with a source of reduced pressure or suction. rl`he cover 49 is then opened and with the lter cloth or screen 59 in position, the gate 17 is opened by rotation of the operating head 47 to the extent required by the character of the lading being handled. The gate 17 is then retained in the desired opened position by the pawl 73 engaging one of the lugs '76 of the operating head 47. Upon lowering of the pressure in the sub-chamber formed by the chute 28 and lloor panel 41, entraining air flows through the filter 59, through the conduits 61, 62, 63 and 64 in the gate 17 and through the sub-chamber to conduit 37 taking along the lading in its train.

As regards the unloading by gravity, the operation is carried out in the normal manner by opening the gate 17 after removal of the floor panel 41. Itis to be noted that, notwithstanding the efficient precautions maintained against clogging with pneumatic unloading, the full opening is available for gravity discharge.

It will be observed that this invention is well adapted for handling of foodstuffs by reason of the complete enclosure of all parts to prevent the entry of contaminating inuences. r1`he provision of the air filter cloth or screen 59 of large dimensions and tine iiltering mesh admits only high purified air to the sub-chamber.

What is claimed as new is:

Discharge means for a hopper car having an opening for discharge of lading comprising, in combination:

(a) a four sided frame for surrounding said opening,

(b) longitudinally extending ways mounted on one pair of opposite sides of said frame having gate supporting upper surfaces inclined upwardly from another side of the other pair of sides of said frame toward the opposite other side thereof,

(c) a gate for closing said opening slidably mounted on said inclined gate supporting surfaces for movement therealong to an open position above and outwardly of said other opposite side of said frame,

(d) rack means on the underside of said gate,

(e) a shaft extending transversely underneath the path of movement of said gate,

(f) bearing means on said frame outside said other opposite side thereof mounting said shaft to rotate about a horizontal axis located in the angle between a horizontal plane intersecting the lowermost portion of the inclined path of movement of said gate and said path,

(g) pinion means non-rotatably mounted on said shaft and engaging said rack means under said gate for causing said gate to slide along said ways on rotation of said shaft, and

(h) a box enclosure for receiving said gate in open position mounted at one end on said frame exteriorly of said pinion means and said shaft,

(i said box enclosure having an apertured oor through which said pinion means projects to engage said rack means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 265,804 Herberg Oct. 10, 1882 1,613,051 Napier Ian. 4, 1927 2,644,408 Dorey July 7, 1953 2,651,267 Dorey Sept. 8, 1953 2,745,563 Dath May 15, 1956 2,749,851 Dorey June 12, 1956 2,751,859 Dath lune 26, 1956 2,753,815 Dorey July 10, 1956 2,770,376 Zinn Nov. 13, 1956 2,810,356 Dath Oct. 22, 1957 2,855,864 Dath Oct. 14, 1958 2,898,871 Dath Aug. 11, 1959 2,969,083 Joyce Jan. 24, 1961 2,989,008 Lindstrom I an. 20, 1961 

